Deployment of a Wireless Mesh Network for Traffic Control

In English Wireless mesh networks (WMN) have attracted considerable interest in recent years as a convenient, new technology. However, the suitability of WMN for mission-critical infrastructure applications remains by and large unknown, as protocols typically employed in WMN are, for the most part, not designed for real-time communications. In this chapter, the authors describe a wireless mesh network architecture to solve the communication needs of the traffic control system in Sydney. This system, known as SCATS and used in over 100 cities around the world — from individual traffic light controllers to regional computers and the central TMC —places stringent requirements on the reliability and latency of the data exchanges. The authors discuss experience in the deployment of an initial testbed consisting of 7 mesh nodes placed at intersections with traffic lights, and share the results and insights learned from measurements and initial trials in the process.